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no 


THE  JAPANESE  SWORD 

AND 
ITS  DECORATION 

BY 

HELEN  C.  GUNSAULUS 
Assistant  Curator  ok  Japanksr  Ethnology 


ILLINOIS 

Anthropology 
Leaflet  20 


FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 

CHICAGO 

1924 


The  Anthropological  Leaflets  of  Field  Museum  are  designed  to 
give  brief,  non-technical  accounts  of  some  of  the  more  interesting 
beliefs,  habits  and  customs  of  the  races  whose  life  is  illustrated 
in  the  Museum's  exhibits. 

LIST  OF  ANTHROPOLOGY  LEAFLETS  ISSUED  TO  DATE 

1.  The  Chinese  Gateway $  .10 

2.  The  Philippine  Forge  Group 10 

3.  The  Japanese  Collections 25 

4.  New  Guinea  Masks 25 

5.  The  Thunder  Ceremony  of  the  Pawnee 25 

6.  The  Sacrifice  to  the  Morning  Star  by  the 

Skidi  Pawnee 10 

7.  Purification  of  the  Sacred  Bundles,  a  Ceremony 

of  the  Pawnee • 10 

8.  Annual  Ceremony  of  the  Pawnee  Medicine  Men      .        .10 

9.  The  Use  of  Sago  in  New  Guinea 10 

10.  Use  of  Human  Skulls  and  Bones  in  Tibet       ...        .10 

11.  The  Japanese  New  Year's  Festival,  Games 

and  Pastimes 25 

12.  Japanese  Costume 25 

13.  Gods  and  Heroes  of  Japan 25 

14.  Japanese  Temples  and  Houses 25 

15.  Use  of  Tobacco  among  North  American  Indians  .  .25 
*16.  Use  of  Tobacco  in  Mexico  and  South  America  .  .  .25 
*17.  Use  of  Tobacco  in  New  Guinea 10 

18.  Tobacco  and  Its  Use  in  Asia 25 

19.  Introduction  of  Tobacco  into  Europe 25 

20.  The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration 25 

D.  C.  DA  VIES 

DIRECTOR 
FIELD  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY 
CHICAGO,  U.  S.  A. 


"In  preparation— November  1924 


itfNlVfcKSllY   Of   ILLINOIS 

Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

Department  of  Anthropology 

Chicago,  1924 
Leaflet  Number  20 

The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration 

The  sword  of  Japan  may  be  called  a  key  to  the 
study  of  the  history,  folk-lore,  and  customs  of  the 
country.  In  its  changing  form  there  can  be  traced  the 
influences  of  important  military  events  and  certain 
characteristics  due  to  contact  with  the  outside  world, 
while  on  the  carefully  wrought  fittings  have  been  pic- 
tured the  heroes,  gods,  mythological  beings,  symbols, 
and  articles  of  daily  use,  each  full  of  interest  and 
worthy  of  study.  For  centuries  the  art  and  skill  of 
many  generations  of  craftsmen  have  been  lavished 
upon  its  decoration.  Up  to  1876  all  samurai  or  mili- 
tary men  were  privileged  to  carry  two  swords,  the 
katana  and  the  wakizashi.  The  first  was  the  weapon 
with  which  they  fought,  settling  personal  quarrels  and 
clan  feuds,  or  defending  their  feudal  lord,  for  whose 
sake  each  one  was  proud  and  ready  to  die  at  any 
moment.  The  other,  the  wakizashi,  was  a  shorter 
weapon  generally  uniform  in  decoration  with  the 
katana,  for  these  two  were  worn  together  thrust 
through  the  belt,  and  were  spoken  of  as  dai-sho,  mean- 
ing "large  and  small." 

The  wakizashi  was  always  worn  indoors.  The  kata- 
na, however,  was  removed  on  entering  a  private  house 
and,  as  proof  of  trust  in  one's  host,  it  was  laid  upon  the 
katana-kake,  a  rack  placed  near  the  entrance.     The 

[113] 


2  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

wakizashi  was  especially  dear  to  the  samurai,  for  with 
it  he  could  follow  his  feudal  chief  in  death,  or,  rather 
than  be  taken  prisoner  by  the  enemy,  he  could  perform 
the  "happy  dispatch."  If  condemned  to  death,  he  was 
privileged  to  take  his  own  life  rather  than  suffer  the 
disgrace  of  public  execution.  This  form  of  suicide  is 
known  as  harakiri  and  consists  of  a  fatal  crosscut  over 
the  abdomen,  practically  amounting  to  disembowel- 
ment.  Through  generations  of  fighting,  the  samurai 
had  developed  an  unsurpassed  bravery  and  a  spirit  of 
self-abnegation,  which  it  is  difficult  to  understand  with- 
out studying  the  philosophy  and  history  of  the  Jap- 
anese warrior.  When  Japan  opened  her  gates  to  the 
world  in  1868,  after  two  centuries  of  isolation,  she  was 
living  under  a  feudal  organization  of  great  intricacy, 
so  powerful  that  many  have  been  confused  into  think- 
ing that  the  shogun  was  a  ruler  in  the  same  sense  as 
the  emperor.  He  was  merely  the  generalissimo,  the 
military  commander  of  the  feudal  lords,  but  he  had 
so  usurped  the  power  of  administration  that  the 
emperor  was  removed  from  the  vision  of  his  people, 
occupying  more  the  place  of  a  deity  rather  than  that 
of  a  ruler.  However,  never  in  the  history  of  Japan 
through  all  her  years  of  civil  strife,  has  the  supreme 
right  to  rule  been  denied  to  the  "Heavenly  born" 
emperor.  No  matter  how  bitter  his  enemies  nor  how 
domineering  the  military  authority,  in  the  last  analysis 
none  of  them  ever  denied  the  divine  right  of  the 
Mikado,  the  descendant  of  the  Sun  Goddess. 

Through  centuries  of  feudalism,  Japan  had  become 
divided  into  many  provinces,  each  one  presided  over 
by  a  feudal  lord  or  daimyo  who  was  supported  by  many 
armed  retainers.  From  1636  to  1853  the  nation  dwelt 
in  complete  isolation  and  peace.  This  fact  tended  to 
make  that  period  known  as  the  Tokugawa  period,  one 
in  which  luxury  and  refinement  is  reflected  in  all  the 

[114] 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration 


belongings  of  the  military  class.  The  armour  and 
swords  of  this  day  were  made  for  adornment  rather 
than  for  fighting.  The  yearly  processions  of  the 
daimyo  to  Yedo,  whither  they  were  required  to  come 
under  the  shogun's  order,  have  been  depicted  on  many 
a  print  and  were  occasions  on  which  the  armed  re- 
tainers, in  full  regalia,  reflected  the  elegance  of  their 
chief's  domain.  To  these  days  of  luxury  belonged 
most  of  the  swords  and  fittings  which  appeared  in  the 
European  market  a  few  years  following  the  Restora- 
tion of  1868  when  Japan  renounced  the  old  military 
domination  and  determined  to  become  one  of  the  na- 
tions of  the  world. 

The  sword,  however,  had  had  a  most  grim  part  to 
play  in  the  centuries  preceding  the  rule  of  the  Toku- 
gawa  shoguns.  From  the  time  of  the  introduction  of 
Buddhism  from  China  through  Korea  in  A.D.  552, 
there  are  records  of  wars  religious,  foreign,  and  civil, 
up  until  the  seventeenth  century.  There  was  de- 
veloped along  with  the  military  organization  which 
evolved  through  centuries  of  warfare,  a  reverence  for 
the  sword  which  made  it  the  warrior's  most  cherished 
possession.  It  was  in  very  truth  "the  soul  of  the 
samurai."  The  story  of  the  blade  cannot  be  entered 
into  here  save  to  say  that  it  rivaled  in  keenness  that  of 
Damascus,  and  sword-blade  making  in  Japan  was  con- 
sidered from  early  times  a  sacred  craft,  only  entered 
upon  after  purification  and  fasting.  Blades  were 
handed  down  from  generation  to  generation  as  the  es- 
teemed protectors  of  families.  Loving  the  sword  as 
the  samurai  did,  beauty  was  added  to  strength  and 
from  the  sixteenth  century  on,  artists  of  great  rank 
applied  their  skill  and  taste  to  the  adorning  of  the 
mounts  both  of  hilt  and  scabbard.  A  samurai  might 
possess  only  one  trusted  blade,  but  more  than  likely  he 
would  have  four  or  five  sets  of  fittings  which  he  could 

[115] 


4  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

adjust  for  different  occasions.  In  1876  when  the  edict 
was  issued  prohibiting  the  samurai  wearing  two 
swords,  it  is  estimated  that  there  were  two  million  of 
this  calling  who  laid  down  their  precious  weapons. 
Many  had  to  sell  their  swords  on  account  of  the  dis- 
continuance of  their  hereditary  incomes,  and  hundreds 
of  others  disposed  of  them  because  the  cherished  dis- 
tinction which  was  the  samurai's  had  become  a  thing 
of  the  past. 

The  fittings  of  the  katana  and  the  wakizashi  have 
been  decorated  for  centuries  by  artists  who  literally 
painted  in  metal  some  of  the  choicest  examples  of  pic- 
torial art  and  chiselled  designs  which  have  charmed 
many  a  collector  and  gained  the  admiration  of  metal- 
craftsmen  everywhere.  All  of  the  mounts  offer  a  very 
limited  field  for  expression.  Of  these,  the  tsuba  or 
sword-guard,  the  largest  of  the  mounts,  received  the 
attention  of  many  of  the  best  artists.  It  is  that  placque 
of  metal  which  fits  between  the  hilt  and  the  blade,  thus 
affording  a  guard  for  the  hand.  It  is  securely  fastened 
to  the  tang  by  a  collar  of  metal,  called  fuchi.  This 
mount  almost  always  supplements  in  decoration  the 
cap  or  pommel  (kashira)  terminating  the  hilt.  On 
either  side  of  the  kashira  are  openings  through  which 
passes  the  wrapping  of  the  hilt,  thus  securing  this 
fitting  tightly.  Immediately  below  the  kashira  are  two 
ornaments  known  as  menuki.  They  cover  the  rivets, 
which  fasten  the  tang,  and  aid  in  giving  a  firmer 
grip  upon  the  weapon.  Occasionally  there  are  other 
menuki  which  decorate  the  scabbard.  When  of  a  larger 
size  than  the  ordinary,  they  are  called  kanamono, 
(literally,  "hardware"),  a  most  misleading  term,  for 
they  are  of  a  purely  artistic  nature  and  quality. 

The  tsuba  has  the  triangular  opening  in  the  center 
through  which  the  tang  passes,  and  often  one  or  two 
holes  on  either  side  of  the  central  opening  which  are 

[116] 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  5 

called  riohitsu.  Through  these  apertures  pass  two  of 
the  most  decorative  fittings :  the  kozuka  and  the  kogai. 
Each  of  them  slips  into  a  groove  on  either  side  of  the 
scabbard,  which  is  sometimes  finished  with  an  orna- 
mental band,  called  the  uragawara.  The  kozuka 
is  the  small  knife  with  a  single  edge  which  probably 
served  much  the  same  purposes  that  a  pocket  knife 
serves.  The  kogai  does  not  possess  a  blade  but  it  is 
in  the  form  of  a  skewer,  sometimes  of  one  piece  and 
again  divided  lengthwise  through  the  center  into  two 
pieces.  In  the  latter  form  it  was  used  as  a  pair  of 
chop-sticks  or  as  hairpins  to  rearrange  the  hair  which 
had  become  dishevelled  beneath  the  helmet.  This 
object  is  decorated  as  is  the  kozuka  on  the  handle. 
Together  with  the  menuki,  these  three  fittings  are 
called  mitokoromono  ("objects  of  the  three  pieces"). 
They  were  generally  made  by  one  artist.  On  the  scab- 
bard is  a  cleat,  called  the  kurigata,  through  which  a 
cord  was  threaded.  This  cleat  held  the  scabbard  more 
securely  in  the  belt  when  the  sword  was  drawn.  The 
cord  (sageo),  when  not  attached  to  the  belt,  was  often 
used  to  tie  back  the  sleeves  to  give  freer  action  for 
fighting.  The  lower  end  of  the  scabbard  is  finished 
with  a  cap  sometimes  similar  to  the  kashira  or  occas- 
ionally much  deeper  in  form.  It  is  called  the  kojiri. 
As  will  be  seen  in  the  following  pages,  bronze, 
iron,  and  steel  were  the  metals  employed  exclusively 
in  making  the  earlier  tsuba,  and  many  of  the  artists 
of  later  days  preferred  to  work  in  these  harder  and 
sterner  mediums.  However,  they  sought  variety  of 
effect  through  acid  baths  from  which  the  iron  obtained 
rare  patinas  and  rich  colors  of  chocolate  brown  and 
velvety  black.  The  recipes  for  the  production  of 
patinas  on  iron  as  well  as  on  the  alloys  are  among  the 
hidden  treasures  of  the  Japanese  artist.  It  is  almost 
impossible  to  reproduce  a  rare  patina  once  it  has  be- 
come scratched  or  rubbed. 

[117] 


6  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

The  principal  alloys  used  are  those  known  as 
shakudo  and  shibuichi.  Shakudo  is  composed  of  95 
per  cent  copper,  1%*44  per  cent  gold,  1-1  Vk  Per  cent 
silver  with  traces  of  lead,  iron,  and  arsenic,  according 
to  analyses  made  by  Roberts- Austen  and  W.  Gowland. 
It  is  subjected  to  an  acid  treatment  which  brings  forth 
a  patina  of  dark  blue  or  purplish  hue.  Shibuichi,  com- 
posed of  50-67  per  cent  copper,  30-50  per  cent  silver 
with  traces  of  gold  and  iron,  assumes  through  the 
pickling  solution  soft  tones  shading  from  greens  to 
grays.  Copper  and  brass  are  also  treated  with  great 
effectiveness,  and  used  both  for  the  fields  and  the 
motives  adorning  the  mounts. 

The  surface  decorations  are  quite  as  remarkable 
in  variety  and  quality  as  the  metals  used.  Those  most 
frequently  met  with  are  mokume,  guri-bori,  nanako, 
ishime,  and  jimigakii  or  polished  surface.  The  first 
(mokume,  meaning  "the  grain  of  wood")  is  used  to 
describe  the  remarkable  welding  together  of  separate 
layers  of  iron,  or  the  fusing  of  a  pure  metal  with  an 
alloy  such  as  copper  and  shakudo.  In  the  case  of  iron, 
the  surface  is  pounded,  molded,  bent  and  punched  until 
the  layers  when  filed  give  the  effect  of  worn  wood. 
Acid  is  often  resorted  to  also,  which  corrodes  the  sheets 
of  varying  hardness.  In  the  case  of  the  alloy  in  com- 
bination with  another  metal,  the  same  process  is  em- 
ployed, that  of  folding  and  molding  and  filing.  The 
object  is  then  pickled  in  a  solution  which  brings  forth 
the  different  colors  desired. 

Guri-bori  is  a  surface  imitating  carved  lacquer. 
The  metals  generally  employed  to  produce  this  effect 
are  also  copper  and  shakudo  of  alternate  layers  some- 
times up  to  the  number  of  seventeen.  They  are  most 
skillfully  welded  together  and  then  carved,  in  scroll- 
like curves  with  slanting  sides,  with  such  accuracy 
that  half  of  the  layers  are  exposed  on  either  side  of  the 

[118] 


THc  liBHABY 

01  TIE 

USEVEB3HY  OF  SJJWKS 


LEAFLET  20. 


PLATE  I. 


1-3,   MOUNTS  BY  KANEIYE  (p.  n),   GOTO"  YUJO  (p.  12)  AND  JAKUSHI  (p.  13). 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  7 

tsuba,  the  alternating  colors  producing  a  striped  effect ; 
only  the  central  layer  is  left  untouched. 

Nanako,  though  not  a  purely  Japanese  process, 
has  been  brought  to  a  wonderful  degree  of  perfection 
by  the  metal-craftsmen  of  that  country.  The  literal 
meaning  of  nanako  is  fish-roe.  It  consists  of  regular 
impressions  made  with  a  small  hollow  punch  arranged 
in  lines,  either  straight  or  concentric,  and  is  sometimes 
made  to  alternate  with  diamond  forms  of  plain  surface. 
It  was  the  ground  preferred  by  the  early  Goto  masters 
and  was  used  exclusively  on  court  swords  during  a 
certain  period.  It  varies  in  size  and  exactness  of  execu- 
tion ;  that  of  the  Goto  and  Sano  Schools  being  unusually 
perfect  in  form  (Plate  I,  Fig.  2). 

Ishime  ("stone-surface")  is  a  broad  term  which 
describes  any  irregular  surface  decoration  other  than 
nanako,  mokume,  or  yasurime  (lines  representing 
rain).  It  includes  leather-grain,  pear-skin,  silk  tex- 
ture, and  many  other  effects,  such  as,  tree-bark  and 
stone  markings. 

The  two  main  processes  of  inlaying  are  known  as 
honzozan  ("true  inlay")  and  nunome-zogan  ("cloth 
inlay").  In  the  case  of  honzogan,  the  metal  is  ham- 
mered securely  into  grooves  which  are  cut  wider  at 
the  bottom  than  at  the  top.  It  is  finished  either  as  flat 
inlay  (hirazogan)  or  as  raised  inlay  (takazogan). 
Nunome-zogan  is  produced  by  hammering  the  inlay 
upon  a  surface  which  has  been  cross-hatched  and 
scratched  to  a  texture-like  appearance,  in  the  little 
threads  of  which  the  inlay  gains  a  hold.  This  process 
may  often  be  discovered  upon  pieces  that  are  worn. 
Sumi-zogan  (literally,  "ink-inlay")  is  used  with  great 
effect  by  the  artists  of  the  Tsuji  school.  The  object 
to  be  inlaid  is  fully  chiselled  out  with  slanting  sides. 
It  is  then  hammered  into  the  space  which  has  been 
channeled  in  the  field,  of  the  exact  dimensions  of  the 

[119] 


8  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

inlay.  With  grinding  and  polishing  the  inlay  becomes 
so  united  with  the  field  that  the  effect  is  that  of  paint- 
ing in  ink,  under  the  surface. 

The  most  common  form  of  chiselling  is  that  known 
as  kebori  ("hair  carving") .  The  lines  are  of  a  uniform 
thickness  and  depth,  and  have  the  effect  of  engraving. 
Katakiribori  is  that  type  of  chiselling  which  suggests 
the  lines  of  a  painter's  brush.  The  strokes  are  of  un- 
equal width  and  depth,  each  having  a  value  in  the 
design.  They  were  performed  with  one  effort  by  the 
great  artists,  especially  those  of  the  Yokoya  school. 
Sculpturing  in  the  round  is  called  sukashibori.  It  is 
generally  applied  to  tsuba  of  iron  whose  designs  are 
made  in  positive  silhouette. 

The  earliest  type  of  Japanese  sword  of  which  we 
have  any  knowledge  is  that  found  in  the  Yamato  tombs, 
which,  according  to  tradition,  date  from  the  second 
century  B.C.  to  the  eighth  century  a.d.  These  swords 
are  weapons  of  iron,  single-edged,  straight  and  fitted 
with  a  separate  tsuba,  which  even  in  those  early  days 
seems  to  have  been  an  important  accessory.  These 
tsuba  are  of  copper  covered  with  a  gilding.  They  are 
oval*  in  form,  perforated  with  trapezodial  holes  which 
may  have  been  made  for  decorative  purposes  as  well 
as  for  lightening  the  weapon. 

Other  early  swords  unearthed  are  double-edged 
and  short,  having  a  peculiar  hilt  in  the  form  of  a 
diamond  trefoil  or  thunderbolt  (vajra).  This  shape 
has  persisted  through  centuries  as  the  sword  used  in 
the  Buddhist  rituals.  It  is  to  be  seen  in  many  of  the 
early  stone  carvings  and  paintings  of  certain  Buddhist 
divinities,  as  well  as  in  some  of  the  temple  ceremonies 
of  the  present  time. 

Belonging  to  the  ninth  century,  probably,  is  the 
early  type  of  tachi,  a  long  sword,  the  scabbard  of  which 

[120] 


Thd  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  9 

bears  two  ashi  or  feet.  Through  these  are  threaded 
braids  or  chains  with  which  the  sword  is  suspended 
from  the  belt.  Many  tachi  are  curved,  and  some  are 
of  extreme  length,  often  exceeding  five  feet.  They 
were  brandished  with  both  hands,  and  must  have  been 
effective  weapons  at  the  time  of  the  Mongolian  in- 
vasion in  1281.  The  ceremonial  tachi  is  generally 
straight,  and  several  are  short.  In  certain  examples 
the  scabbards  are  highly  ornamented,  reflecting  in  the 
inlaid  lacquer  the  influence  of  China  which  pervaded 
all  branches  of  art  in  Japan  at  that  time.  The  tsuba 
on  these  swords  is  of  a  shape  called  shitogi  because  of 
its  resemblance  to  a  rice-cake  of  that  name  used  in 
Shinto  ceremonies. 

This  narrow  form  of  guard  was  sufficient  for  use 
at  the  luxurious  Fujiwara  court,  but  a  stronger  pro- 
tection was  needed  for  the  many  years  of  fighting 
which  began  with  the  long  and  bitter  struggle  known 
as  the  War  of  the  Gen  (Minamoto)  and  Heike  (Taira) 
clans,  the  war  in  the  twelfth  century  which  eventually 
placed  Japan  under  military  domination  for  seven  cen- 
turies. Tradition  tells  us  that  the  guard  of  this  period 
(Gempei)  and  that  immediately  preceding  was  either 
a  plain  iron  disk,  or  was  made  of  rawhide.  The 
leather  was  sometimes  lacquered,  in  which  case  the 
guard  was  called  neri  tsuba,  or  again  it  was  made  more 
efficacious  by  being  affixed  between  two  thin  iron  plates 
called  dai  seppa.  These  were  either  plain  or  orna- 
mented with  a  pierced  decoration. 

The  aoi  tsuba  is  another  early  form  of  guard.  It 
is  so  called  from  its  outline  which  suggests  the  heart- 
shaped  leaves  of  the  mallow  (aoi).  Often  the  entire 
surface  is  decorated  with  floral  motives,  and  again  the 
ornament  covers  only  the  central  portion.  This  form 
has  ever  been  popular,  many  nineteenth-century  guards 
being  of  this  shape. 

[121] 


10  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

Square  and  oblong  tsuba  with  rounded  corners  are 
to  be  seen  among  the  drawings  of  early  guards  in 
books  and  in  certain  paintings.  During  the  Ashikaga 
period  (fourteenth  to  sixteenth  century),  fighting  be- 
came fiercer,  and  there  are  accounts  of  swords  being 
set  up,  the  guards  of  which  served  for  steps  in  scaling 
the  enemies'  walls.  From  such  weapons  may  come  the 
large  square  and  circular  guards  with  simple  decora- 
tions in  openwork,  which  served  to  ornament  and 
lighten  the  heavy  tachi.  The  katana  in  time  super- 
seded the  large  tachi  as  a  fighting  weapon,  the  latter 
becoming  the  ceremonial  sword  carried  at  court  and 
worn  on  stately  occasions.  As  far  as  is  known  all  of 
the  early  guards  were  made  by  swordsmiths  and  ar- 
morers, and  many  of  them  bear  the  hammer-marks  of 
the  armorer  as  the  sole  decoration. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  Ashikaga  period, 
however,  the  sword  received  the  attention  of  certain 
artists  who  were  the  founders  of  the  first  schools  of 
guard-makers.  Among  them  must  be  mentioned  No- 
buiye.  He  was  the  first  member  of  the  famous  family 
of  armorers,  the  Myochin,  to  be  recorded  as  a  tsuba 
maker.  He  used  perforated  designs  as  well  as  surface 
modelling,  and  often  finished  the  field  or  edge  of  the 
guard  with  the  tortoise-back  pattern.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  many  generations  of  followers. 

Whether  Nobuiye  was  the  first  artist  to  decorate 
guards  is  a  question,  for  the  date  of  the  great  master 
Kaneiye  is  quite  uncertain.  Both  of  these  artists,  how- 
ever, probably  lived  in  the  sixteenth  century.  The 
name  of  Kaneiye  Shodai  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem 
by  all  the  metal-craftsmen  of  Japan.  He  was  the  first 
artist  to  apply  to  iron  guards  those  processes  which 
Goto  Yujo  used  only  upon  the  smaller  sword-mounts. 
There  are  three  artists  of  the  name  of  Kaneiye,  as  well 
as  a  host  of  followers  and  imitators.    Among  the  many 

[122] 


lilt  tiBRAHY 
Of-  THE 


LEAFLET  20. 


PLATE  II. 


'  ♦•♦•♦•♦•♦•« 


1,   SWORD-GUARD  BY  KINAI  (p.  14).     2,   SWORD-GUARD  CARVED  FROM  IRON  (p.  15). 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  11 

thousands  of  pieces  signed  "Made  by  Kaneiye  of  Fu- 
shimi  in  Yamashiro"  there  are  very  few  genuine  speci- 
mens, as  will  be  readily  recognized  once  one  is  privi- 
leged to  examine  an  authentic  product.  All  three 
Kaneiye  worked  in  iron  of  a  rich  brown  color  and 
wax-like  quality.  Sometimes  there  are  traces  of  lac- 
quer upon  the  surface.  The  forms  preferred  were 
oval,  mokko,  which  is  quadrilobed,  and  kobushi  ("fist- 
shaped").  The  first  Kaneiye  is  said  to  have  chosen  for 
his  subjects  personages,  while  Kaneiye  Nidai,  the 
greatest  of  the  three,  was  the  master  of  landscapes. 
The  third  Kaneiye  is  thought  to  have  favored  birds 
and  flowers.  Many  of  the  subjects  of  Kaneiye  guards 
are  taken  from  the  paintings  of  Sesshii,  a  contem- 
porary landscapist  whose  work  was  permeated  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Zen  sect  of  Buddhism,  that  philosophy 
which  sought  calm  in  the  contemplation  of  nature. 
During  the  Ashikaga  period,  the  Zen  sect  had  a  large 
following,  especially  appealing  to  the  samurai.  The 
exquisite  expressions  of  nature's  calm  moods  which 
Kaneiye  chose  are  modelled  in  low  relief,  sometimes 
lightened  by  a  sparing  use  of  gold  or  silver,  perhaps 
applied  to  dewdrops  on  the  grass  or  to  the  bill  of  a 
wild  goose  hidden  in  the  rushes.  On  these  small  pieces 
of  sword-furniture  there  is  to  be  seen  in  consummate 
form  that  masterful  simplicity  which  is  the  foremost 
characteristic  of  the  great  Japanese  artists  (Plate  I, 
Fig.  1). 

Goto  Yujo  (1435-1512),  as  was  remarked  above, 
decorated  only  the  small  mounts,  preferring  them  to 
the  larger  field  of  the  tsuba.  He  is  known  as  the 
"father  of  chasing,"  and  was  the  first  metal-craftsman 
to  have  decorated  in  relief  of  precious  metals  the  fit- 
tings of  the  sword.  The  style  which  he  instituted, 
called  iyebori  ("family  chasing"),  was  followed  with 
more  or  less  accuracy  by  sixteen  generations  of  artists 

.  [123] 


12  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

who  are  known  as  the  "Sixteen  Masters."  Working 
almost  entirely  for  the  rich  daimyo,  pieces  made  by 
the  early  Goto  are  of  extreme  scarcity  and  value.  They 
are  rarely  seen  outside  Japan,  where,  in  the  seven- 
teenth and  eighteenth  centuries,  it  became  fashionable 
to  possess  a  series  of  Goto  fittings  almost  always  ac- 
companied by  certificates  proving  them  genuine.  Pre- 
ferring the  softer  metals  or  alloys,  almost  all  of  the 
early  masters  used  shakudo  for  the  field,  choosing  a 
nanako  ground  upon  which  the  reliefs  of  gold  and 
silver  showed  up  brilliantly. 

For  subjects  they  preferred  dragons,  plants,  small 
figures,  and  mythical  animals,  such  as  the  Chinese  lion 
(shishi)  with  curly  tail,  or  the  kirin,  a  composite  beast 
with  scaly  body,  a  dragon's  or  horse's  head,  a  single 
horn,  and  flame-like  appendages  at  the  shoulders.  The 
kozuka  (Plate  I,  Fig.  2)  is  by  Shin j 6,  the  fifteenth 
master,  who  lived  in  the  nineteenth  century,  signing 
much  of  his  work  Mitsuyoshi.  The  nanako  ground  is 
of  a  fineness  and  exactness  of  execution  characteristic 
of  the  later  Goto  work.  After  the  third  generation 
much  of  the  formal  style  was  abandoned;  and  in  the 
work  of  many  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  century  art- 
ists of  this  school  great  individuality  was  expressed. 
Goto  Ichijo,  born  in  1789,  was  one  of  the  great  modern 
tsuba  artists  having  a  following  of  many  pupils,  chief 
among  them  Funada  Ikkin. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  early  Gotos 
worked  expressly  for  the  court  and  the  daimyos,  and 
that  the  sword  in  general  was  not  at  that  time  so  richly 
ornamented.  Certain  inlays,  such  as  those  designated 
as  Fushimi-Yoshiro,  were  evidently  popular  in  the  late 
sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries.  Decorated  either 
in  flat  inlay  or  brass  or  in  a  relief  of  brass,  these  iron 
tsuba  present  an  attractive  appearance,  as  well  as  a 
strong  protection  for  the  hand  of  the  warrior.     The 

[124]         . 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  13 

floral  designs,  though  in  many  cases  rather  crude  in 
form,  possess  a  certain  charm.  A  peculiar  surface 
decoration  which  is  known  as  gomoku-zogan  (literally, 
"dirt  inlay")  is  sometimes  combined  with  brass  crests, 
which  from  that  time  on  (seventeenth  century)  appear 
frequently.  Gomoku  zogan  consists  of  scraps  of  brass 
wire  apparently  applied  at  random. 

Other  peculiar  guards,  such  as  Shingen  and  Nam- 
ban,  date  from  that  period.  Shingen  tsuba  take  their 
name  from  that  of  the  great  general,  Takeda  Shingen, 
who  advocated  this  type  of  guard  on  account  of  its 
lightness.  There  are  four  distinct  forms  listed  under 
this  category  which  cannot  be  described  here  save  to 
say  that  in  each  case  they  are  decorated  with  wire  laced 
or  inlaid  in  the  iron.  One  example  in  the  collection  of 
Field  Museum  is  of  iron  with  brass  centre,  to  the  edges 
of  which  is  affixed  a  weaving  of  brass  and  copper 
wires  which  are  bound  to  the  foundation  disk  by  a  rim 
with  simple  decoration.  Tsuba  called  Namban  ("south- 
ern barbarians"  or  "foreigners")  are  generally  orna- 
mented with  a  Chinese  motive,  the  two  dragons  strugg- 
ling for  the  possession  of  a  jewel.  Sometimes  touched 
with  gilt  nunome,  they  are  skilfully  wrought  within  a 
network  of  entwining  tendrils,  chiselled  out  of  a 
brownish  iron.  Many  are  the  imitations  of  Namban 
tsuba  as  well  as  those  of  several  other  schools.  Dealers 
in  ready-made  articles  (shiiremono) ,  always  found  a 
ready  market  among  the  merchants  who,  in  the  eigh- 
teenth century,  wore  swords  along  with  their  writing- 
cases  in  their  belts.  Foreign  traders  at  Nagasaki 
were  also  led  into  buying  spurious  pieces  of  sword- 
furniture,  many  of  which  unfortunately  found  their 
way  into  European  collections. 

Living  at  Nagasaki  in  the  seventeenth  century  and 
seeing  the  products  from  foreign  countries  which  came 
in  for  trade,  was  one  Jakushi,  an  artist  both  in  paint- 

[125] 


14  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

ing  and  metal-work.  He  made  many  beautiful  guards, 
taking  for  his  subjects  scenes  from  Chinese  paint- 
ings. Using  the  process  of  nunome  very  skilfully,  he 
"painted"  in  varying  shades  of  gold  many  charming 
landscapes  done  in  great  detail  (Plate  I,  Fig.  3). 

Inlaying  had  reached  a  high  state  of  perfection  by 
that  time,  when  both  processes  hirazogan  and  nunome- 
zogan  were  applied  to  many  pieces  of  sword-furniture. 
One  of  the  foremost  exponents  of  inlay  and  one  of  the 
greatest  of  all  tsuba  masters  was  Umetada  Myoju, 
otherwise  Shigeyoshi,  who,  working  in  Kyoto  in  the 
early  seventeenth  century,  originated  a  method  of  flat 
inlay  on  brass  and  copper.  Products  from  his  chisel 
are  exceedingly  rare.  There  is  in  this  collection  a 
tsuba  of  copper,  unsigned  and  of  wonderful  patina, 
which  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  examples  known 
to  have  been  made  by  Myoju.  On  one  side,  inlaid  in 
fine  gold  wire,  are  two  flying  birds  and  a  flute  of 
shakudo  with  gold  trimmings.  On  the  reverse  in  flat 
inlay  of  shakudo,  gold,  and  silver,  are  two  weapons  in 
the  form  of  a  chained  hoe  which  were  used  in  ancient 
times  by  women  as  defensive  weapons  when  a  city  was 
besieged.  Accompanying  this  tsuba  is  a  scroll  describ- 
ing the  decoration  and  stating  that  the  guard  once  be- 
longed to  the  shogun,  Tokugawa  Iyeyasu,  who  gave  it 
to  Nakamura  Shirozaemon,  a  faithful  samurai.  It  is 
well  not  to  put  too  much  confidence  in  such  documents, 
for  they  have  also  been  forged  as  have  many  pieces  of 
metal-work.  But,  as  is  the  case  here,  when  the  treasure 
described  has  certain  intrinsic  qualities,  one  is  inclined 
to  give  them  serious  consideration. 

There  were  many  schools  of  artists  who  clung  to 
the  use  of  iron  and  disdained  inlay  of  any  kind.  To 
this  group  belonged  Kinai  I  of  Echizen,  a  masterful 
carver  of  the  seventeenth  century.  He  knew  the  meth- 
ods of  producing  rare  effects  through  pickling  and 

[126] 


LEAFLET  20. 


1,   SWORD-GUARD  BY  SOTEN  (p.  iS).     2,   SWORD-GUARD  BY  JOI  (p.  17). 


THE  UBfUfiY 
OF  THE 

OlffEtillY  OF  ALUMS 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  15 

treating  iron,  preferring  a  rich  black  tone  styled  by 
some  writers  as  a  magnetic  oxide.  Many  of  the  guards 
by  Kinai  were  made  for  the  daimyo  of  Echizen,  who 
in  turn  presented  them  to  the  shogun,  probably  on  the 
former's  annual  visit  to  Yedo.  These  were  called 
ken  jo  tsuba  ("presentation  tsuba").  Imitators  of 
Kinai  were  numerous,  and  several  of  them  adorned 
their  products  with  gold  inlay  which  serves  to  distin- 
guish them  from  those  of  the  master.  Dragons  were 
among  the  favorite  designs  of  Kinai  I  and  Kinai  II, 
and  cranes  (Plate  II,  Fig.  1),  masks,  and  shells  in 
groups  often  appeared  signed  with  this  name. 

In  this  short  outline  of  the  different  schools  of 
artists  who  decorated  the  sword,  only  the  most  promi- 
nent names  can  be  mentioned. 

Before  leaving  the  tsuba  of  iron  carved  in  designs 
of  positive  and  negative  silhouette,  a  glance  must  be 
given  to  those  done  in  the  province  of  Higo  where  most 
of  the  artists  were  retainers  of  the  great  Hosokawa 
family.  Delicate  sprays  of  the  cherry  or  plum  tree, 
crests  of  intricate  design,  cranes  with  spread  wings 
and  sprays  of  the  graceful  kiri  plant  {Pavlownia  im- 
perialis)  are  some  of  the  motives  which  place  these 
guards  among  the  most  admired  specimens  of  the 
metal-worker.  Often  the  dark  iron  is  embellished  with 
the  inlay  of  brilliant  gold  threads  applied  in  tiny  spirals 
or  in  designs  of  diamond  shape.  Difficult  to  distin- 
guish from  Higo  guards  are  the  lacy  carvings  made  in 
Akasaka  of  a  brown  iron,  so  chiselled  that  the  part  cut 
away  exceeds  that  which  remains  to  form  the  delicate 
picture.  In  Bushu  were  made  certain  guards  called 
Itozukashi  or  Odawara  tsuba.  Sometimes  they  are  of 
iron  and  occasionally  of  shakudo,  marvels  of  intricate 
saw-cutting  in  diaper  patterns  (Plate  II,  Fig.  2). 

Soten  of  Hikone  in  the  province  of  Goshu  should 
not  be  passed  over,  both  on  account  of  the  real  merit  of 

[127] 


16  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

his  sword-fittings  and  more  especially  because  of  the 
historical  interest  of  the  subjects  chosen.  From  the 
hundreds  of  so-called  Soten  guards,  which  seem  to  be 
everywhere,  this  artist  has  been  given  a  false  represen- 
tation. These  copies  are  in  general  crudely  made  and 
devoid  of  any  artistic  merit.  The  tsuba  of  the  two 
Soten  and  their  pupils,  on  the  other  hand,  are  admir- 
able specimens  of  carving  in  iron  with  inlays  of  gold, 
silver,  and  copper  used  to  very  good  effect.  Most  of 
the  subjects  are  taken  from  the  pages  of  history,  and 
portray  in  detail  some  of  Japan's  greatest  heroes  as 
they  appeared  in  battle  array.  The  incident  illustrated 
here  (Plate  III,  Fig.  1)  is  one  of  the  most  thrilling  in 
the  history  of  the  country,  that  moment  at  the  battle 
of  Dan-no-Ura  (1185)  when  the  dowager-empress 
leaped  into  the  waves  with  the  boy  emperor,  Antoku, 
on  seeing  that  the  Taira  were  defeated  hopelessly  by 
the  Minamoto  clan.  This  is  the  typical  Soten  guard, 
and  is  its  own  argument  for  being  included  along  with 
other  examples  of  the  mastery  of  technique  and  design 
which  has  been  attained  by  the  Japanese  artist. 

In  the  early  seventeenth  century,  the  Nara  school 
was  founded  by  Toshiteru,  a  Yedo  artist.  This  school 
is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  widely  known,  having 
an  influence  over  many  groups  of  artists,  equalled  only 
by  that  of  the  Goto.  The  earlier  masters  of  the  Nara 
school  often  employed  iron,  while  the  greater  number 
used  the  softer  metals,  perfecting  the  style  called  iroye 
("colored  picture"),  painted  from  the  rich  palette  of 
the  alloys.  From  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth 
century  on,  the  purely  decorative  mission  of  the  sword 
is  evident,  the  fighting  weapon  being  needed  only  in 
the  settlement  of  personal  quarrels  or  an  occasional  up- 
rising of  minor  importance. 

Taking  their  inspiration  directly  from  nature,  the 
Nara  artists  depicted  birds  and  insects,  flowers  and 

[128] 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  17 

trees,  with  a  grace  which  makes  one  marvel  at  the 
complete  mastery  which  these  metal-craftsmen  had 
over  their  tools  and  the  unresponsive  mediums  with 
which  they  had  to  work.  Historical  and  legendary 
subjects  made  their  appeal  to  many,  and  these  are 
portrayed  in  detail,  generally  amid  natural  surround- 
ings of  real  beauty.  The  three  great  names  of  the 
Nara  School  are  Toshinaga  I,  Joi,  and  Yasuchika.  To- 
shinaga  I  was  the  second  artist  of  this  name,  and  was 
followed  by  a  son  who  signed  his  name  identically,  but 
fortunately  used  a  different  written  seal  (kakihan). 
Both  men  modelled  figures  with  exceeding  skill;  the 
father,  however,  was  much  more  thorough  in  his  exe- 
cution and  detail.  Joi's  work  is  characterized  generally 
by  the  use  of  a  recessed  relief  or  intaglio  relievato 
which  gives  the  effect  of  the  object  rising  out  of  the 
metal.  His  surface  treatments  are  remarkable,  espe- 
cially in  the  case  of  copper-bronze,  which  forms  the 
guard  here  illustrated  (Plate  III,  Fig.  2),  where  Hotei, 
the  household  god  beloved  by  children,  leans  over  his 
treasure  bag. 

Of  the  six  artists  named  Yasuchika,  all  used  the 
same  characters  in  their  signatures,  and  one  or  two 
adopted  the  same  noms  de  plumes  as  those  of  the  first 
master.  This  is  a  typical  instance  of  the  confusion 
one  is  constantly  meeting  in  sifting  the  facts  relevant 
to  this  branch  of  study.  Yasuchika  I  and  his  son 
Yasuchika  II  favored  purely  decorative  motives,  hav- 
ing been  influenced  to  a  large  extent  by  Korin,  the 
famous  painter  and  designer.  The  decoration  on  the 
tsuba  (Plate  IV,  Fig.  1)  might  be  characterized  as 
"the  survival  of  the  fittest."  On  a  shibuichi  ground  in 
relief  of  gold  and  copper  is  a  vine  tinged  with  autumn 
colorings,  food  for  the  slimy  snail  crawling  along  on 
the  obverse.  A  tiny  frog,  the  snail's  devourer,  is  on 
the  reverse,  while  a  serpent  moulded  in  silver  glides 
out  from  its  hiding-place. 

[129] 


18  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

Most  of  the  Nara  artists  worked  in  Yedo,  the 
shogun's  capital,  which  by  that  time  had  attracted 
craftsmen  in  every  art.  Of  the  many  schools  which 
trace  their  origin  to  the  Nara  masters,  that  of  the 
Hamano  is  probably  the  most  famous.  It  was  founded 
by  Masayuki,  a  pupil  of  Toshinaga  I.  He  and  his 
many  followers  worked  in  Yedo  in  the  late  eighteenth 
and  nineteenth  centuries  producing  sword-fittings  deco- 
rated for  the  most  part  with  figures,  historical  and 
legendary.  Noriyuki  and  Kaneyuki  have  left  some 
beautiful  specimens  of  craftsmanship  and,  design,  well 
illustrated  in  the  two  kozuka  here  reproduced.  On 
that  by  Noriyuki  (Plate  IV,  Fig.  2),  Hitomaro,  one  of 
Japan's  favorite  poets,  is  portrayed.  Above  him  is 
engraved  one  of  his  most  famous  poems,  the  one  relat- 
ing to  the  beach  at  Akashi.  Caligraphy  is  considered 
as  great  an  art  as  painting,  and  this  which  is  deftly 
cut  in  hard  metal  is  evidence  indeed  of  the  hand  of  a 
master  artist.  The  kozuka  by  Chikayuki  (Plate  IV, 
Fig.  3)  illustrates  an  interesting  New  Year's  custom, 
that  of  the  householder  scattering  dried  beans  in  order 
to  drive  out  any  lurking  demons. 

Another  great  name  known  by  all  lovers  of  Japa- 
nese metal-work  is  that  of  Yokoya  Somin.  He  was  the 
founder  of  the  Yokoya  school,  a  school  whose  influence 
can  be  traced  in  several  groups,  such  as  the  Yanagawa, 
Iwamoto,  and  Ishiguro,  all  founded  by  pupils  of  Yokoya 
artists.  The  work  of  Somin  is  extremely  rare,  two 
menuki  being  the  only  examples  in  this  collection  which 
bear  his  signature  and  impress.  He  was  the  origin- 
ator and  perfector  of  the  style  known  as  katakiribori, 
previously  defined,  using  his  chisel  with  the  surety  and 
effectiveness  with  which  the  painter  makes  his  brush 
strokes. 

Yanagawa  fittings  are  generally  rich,  sometimes 
even  to  ornateness  in  their  adornment.    The  peony  and 

[130] 


_  X 


toe  LiBSinr 

OF  THE 

uaiVESOT  of  maois 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  19 

the  lion  (botan~ni-harashishi) ,  a  subject  often  used  by 
the  Yokoya  artists,  is  a  most  typical  motive  of  decora- 
tion for  these  later  craftsmen  who  also  worked  in  Yedo. 
The  Ishiguro  school  founded  by  a  Yanagawa  pupil  is 
renowned  for  the  beauty  and  detail  with  which  the 
bird  and  flower  decorations  are  wrought  out.  These 
fittings  are  typical  of  the  elegance  of  the  samurai  of 
the  early  nineteenth  century,  who  spent  much  of  his 
time  in  luxurious  ease,  enjoying  the  peaceful  arts  of 
painting  and  literature,  filling  his  moments  with  those 
pursuits  which  made  him  the  scholar-gentleman  of 
Japan. 

The  name  of  omori  and  Ichinomiya,  the  Te- 
tsugendo,  Tanaka,  Tamagawa,  and  Uchikoshi  schools 
will  only  be  mentioned  before  passing  on  to  the  three 
great  moderns  who  were  the  last  to  ornament  the 
sword,  omori  Teruhide  executed  in  shibuichi  and 
shakudo  some  wonderful  bits  of  sculpture  usually 
adorned  with  undercut  waves  of  minute  dimensions. 
Ichinomiya  Nagatsune  was  one  of  the  finest  chasers  in 
the  history  of  Japanese  metal-work.  His  art  was 
recognized  by  the  emperor  who  bestowed  upon  him  the 
title  of  Echizen-no-daijo,  which  is  one  of  the  appella- 
tions occasionally  seen  inscribed  along  with  the  signa- 
tures of  famous  artists.  Other  honorary  titles  are 
Hogen,  Hoin,  and  Hokyo. 

In  the  fittings  made  by  Naoshige  of  the  Tetsu- 
gendo  school  and  those  carved  by  Tanaka  Toryusai, 
that  masterful  treatment  in  iron  is  again  met  with, 
iron  so  perfectly  patinated  that  it  has  the  appearance 
of  soft  brown  wax. 

The  Tamagawa  school  was  one  of  the  many  groups 
of  artists  working  in  Mito,  a  city  where  dwelt  many 
famous  families  of  metal-craftsmen,  among  them  the 
Hitotsuyanagi  and  the  Sekijoken.  One  of  the  Tama- 
gawa pupils,  Hironaga,  founded  the  Uchikoshi  school 

[131] 


20  Field  Museum  of  Natural  History 

in  the  early  nineteenth  century.  Working  both  on  iron 
and  the  alloid  foundations,  he  and  his  followers  left 
many  charming  reliefs  in  precious  metals. 

The  three  great  modern  artists  who  made  sword- 
fittings  were  Goto  Ichijo,  Haruaki  Hogen  of  the  Yana- 
gawa  school,  and  Kano  Natsuo,  a  member  of  the  otsuki 
school  of  Kyoto.  Goto  Ichijo  was  preeminently  a 
maker  of  tsuba  which  his  predecessors  had  only  made 
by  special  request,  having  generally  applied  their  art 
to  the  smaller  mounts.  His  preference  for  iron  was 
another  feature  in  which  he  broke  away  from  the  fami- 
ly traditions,  for  seldom  does  one  see  the  ornaments 
beloved  by  the  early  Goto  masters  applied  to  this  field. 
To  be  sure,  Goto  Ichijo  both  made  the  smaller  fittings 
and  also  used  the  alloys,  as  may  be  seen  on  a  fuchi- 
kashira  in  the  museum  collection  where  golden  peonies 
with  the  leaves  and  branches  of  shakudo  are  set  in 
high  relief  on  a  nanako  ground. 

Haruaki  or  Shummei  Hogen,  though  a  pupil  of 
Yanagawa  Naoharu,  shows  in  his  relief  the  influence 
of  the  Goto  school  and  in  his  katakiribori  a  careful 
study  of  the  technique  of  Yokoya  Somin.  These  two 
processes  Haruaki  was  fond  of  combining  in  one  speci- 
men. On  the  obverse  of  a  tsuba  in  this  collection,  in 
well  rounded  reliefs  of  silver,  shakudo,  and  gold,  is 
Rinnasei,  Chinese  poet  and  lover  of  the  plum-tree  be- 
neath which  he  stands  with  his  young  attendant.  On 
the  obverse,  in  katakiribori  and  hirazogan,  an  old  sage 
is  drawn  with  characteristic  strength  and  mastery. 

Kano  Natsuo  lived  to  see  the  abolition  of  feudal- 
ism and  the  resignation  of  the  weapon  which  had 
received  the  loving  attention  of  artists  for  many  gene- 
rations. Like  many  another  metal-worker  he  reflected 
the  art  of  a  great  painter.  Natsuo,  a  student  of  the 
Maruyama  school,  came  under  the  influence  of  Okyo, 

[132] 


The  Japanese  Sword  and  Its  Decoration  21 

whose  realistic  nature  studies  he  often  adapted  to  his 
scheme  of  decoration.  The  drawings  of  the  carp, 
ascending  the  waterfall  or  leaping  to  catch  a  fly,  have 
given  Natsuo  a  place  among  the  masters  both  on  ac- 
count of  their  artistic  appeal  and  because  of  the 
excellent  technique  with  which  they  are  executed. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  foregoing  remarks  will  allow 
one  to  appreciate  what  a  place  the  sword  has  held  in 
the  heart  of  the  military  class  and  what  an  interesting 
study  is  opened  up  in  the  serious  consideration  of  the 
art  and  thought  which  have  been  directed  toward  the 
beautifying  of  this  weapon.  From  the  specimens  ex- 
hibited in  Gunsaulus  Hall  students  will  find  many 
gateways  through  which  they  may  pass  to  a  fuller 
understanding  of  the  life  and  culture  of  Japan. 

Those  desirous  of  more  information  are  referred 
to  Field  Museum  Publication  216  in  which  the  subject 
is  dealt  with  in  detail. 

Helen  C.  Gunsaulus. 


[133] 


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i; 


UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOW-URBANA 


3  0112  055386194 


